Special Interests
The River Trails Park District offers numerous activities for youth and teens! Check out our current special interest class and Parkour Programs. Youth also enjoy our summer camps, dance and athletic programming.
Rockin’ Guitars
Learn to rock on the guitar! We cover the basics: chords, scales, rhythm & songs. Have your own guitar? Bring it! If not, we’ll supply one. Chad Berardi currently rocks Chicago with his own band, has been playing for 30 years and teaching for 19 years. No class on 3/23 and 4/6.
Age: 7-14
Location: Weiss Community Center
| Day | Time | Date | Fee |
| Tue | 4:30-5pm | Jan 12-Feb 16 | $86R/$103N |
| Tue | 4:30-5pm | Mar 2-Apr 13 | $72R/$86N |
| Tue | 4:30-5pm | Apr 20-May 25 | $86R/$103N |
Young Magicians
Join us for a fun night of magic and mystery! Magic tricks will be taught that include cards, coins, ropes, and much more! You will discover that the tricks are quick to learn and easy to perform. All materials are provided on site. Each child will receive a magic kit to take home at the end of class. Participants are grouped by age and learn age-appropriate tricks. New tricks are taught at each session, so sign up again and again! Note: These classes take place at Arlington Heights Park District.
Age: 5-12
Location: Arlington Heights Park District
| Day | Time | Date | Fee |
| Thu | 5-5:55pm | Jan 28 | $25 per person |
| Tue | 5-5:55pm | Mar 23 | $25 per person |
| Tue | 5-5:55pm | May 11 | $25 per person |
NEW- SafeSitter Courses
Do you feel ready to stay home alone, watch your brothers and sisters while your parents are gone, or babysit for younger children? Safe Sitter® is for kids and young teens in grades 4-8 who are ready to learn the skills they need to care for themselves and younger children. In addition, Safe Sitter® teaches young teens life and business skills, so that they know how to be prepared, be responsible, and be considerate whether they are babysitting or doing odd jobs for family, friends, or neighbors. You’ll have fun. You’ll learn a lot. And at the end of the day, you can proudly say, “I am a Safe Sitter®!”
Safe@Home
Grade: 4-6
Location: Weiss Community Center
| Day | Time | Date | Fee |
| Sat | 10-11:30am | Feb 20 | $35R/$42N |
| Sat | 10-11:30am | May 15 | $35R/$42N |
Intro to Safe Babysitting
Grade: 6-8
Location: Weiss Community Center
| Day | Time | Date | Fee |
| Sat | 10-11:30am | Apr 17 | $35R/$42N |
Microscope Investigation Lab
Learn how real scientists make discoveries with this exciting hands-on class! We will be exploring everyday items at different magnifications and learn that not everything is as it appears! In addition to discovering what is under the microscope, we will also be learning how to use microscope’s picture editing software to make our discoveries even more exciting!
Ages: 4–6
Location: Prospect Heights Park District
| Day | Time | Date | Fee |
| Mon | 6-7pm | Jan 25-Feb 15 | $75R/$90N |
Robot Engineers
This course builds knowledge of simple machines, engineering, programming, and teamwork using the LEGO WeDo Robotics System, as students use an intuitive, icon-based programming environment, helping to bring their model to life.
Ages: 8–12
Location: The Zone (RTPD)
| Day | Time | Date | Fee |
| Mon | 6-7:15pm | Feb 22-Mar 15 | $93R/$112N |
Beginning Fun-gineering
Young engineers will build working models of simple machines such as a seesaw, a rolling vehicle, and hockey players using LEGO Educational kits. Children will have fun working on activities designed around creativity, exploring, investigating, and problem solving in a fun group environment! While building these fun and interactive models, they will learn about levers, pulleys, gears, wheels, and axles.
Ages: 4–6
Location: Mount Prospect Park District
| Day | Time | Date | Fee |
| Mon | 6-7pm | Apr 5-26 | $75R/$90N |
Robotics Academy
Explore the world of robotics and coding in this hands on environment, full of experiments, exploration, and collaboration as we meet different robots and learn the challenges of programming and problem solving.
Ages: 7-10
Location: Prospect Heights Park District
| Day | Time | Date | Fee |
| Mon | 6-7:15pm | May 3-24 | $93R/$112N |
Children’s Theatre
A weekly musical theatre workshop culminates in a showcase featuring age-appropriate excerpts from smash hit movies and musicals! Students will learn the basics of vocal technique, choreography, and acting while working together to produce an in-class performance for family and friends. Showcase classes are only six weeks long and are a great way for young artists to develop their talents, foster self-confidence, and grow in social skills and team building. The showcase will take place during the last 30 minutes of our final class. Indian Grove students will be walked over by staff to Burning Bush. No class on Mar 24.
Instructors: Margo Proeh, Gabrielle Garza & Children’s Theatre staff.
Grade: K-6
Location: Burning Bush Community Center
| Name | Day | Time | Date | Fee |
| Trolls World Tour | Wed | 3:30-4:30pm | Jan 13-Feb 17 | $110R/$130N |
| Frozen 2 | Wed | 3:30-4:30pm | Mar 3-Apr 14 | $110R/$130N |
| Lion King | Wed | 3:30-4:30pm | Apr 21-May 26 | $110R/$130N |
Chess Scholars- After School Chess Club
Develop your child’s intellect through the royal games of chess! No previous knowledge of chess is necessary. Each class will consist of a fun interactive teaching period and guided practice time. Both beginner and experienced players are welcome and will get to the next level under the guidance of an experienced Chess Scholars coach. There will also be a chess competition with prizes at the end of the session. No class on 3/23.
Grade: K – 5
Location: TBA
| Day | Time | Date | Fee per session |
| Tue | 3:30-4:15pm | Jan 12-Feb 16 | $111R/$134N |
| Tue | 3:30-4:15pm | Mar 2-Apr 13 | $111R/$134N |
| Tue | 3:30-4:15pm | Apr 20-May 25 | $111R/$134N |
Smart Start Art
Explore your artistic side with the Smart Art Program from Afterschool Enrichment Solutions. Discover your creativity and imagination as an artist, develop fine-motor skills, style, and vision as we explore different artistic techniques through a variety of inspiring projects and play fun, exciting games. Sketch and draw, shade and color, cut, glue, fold….Create! No experience necessary. No class Mar 25.
Grade: K – 4
Location: TBA
| Day | Time | Date | Fee |
| Thu | 3:30-4:15pm | Jan 14-Feb 18 | $111R/$134N |
| Thu | 3:30-4:15pm | Mar 11- Apr 15 | $93R/$111N |
| Thu | 3:30-4:15pm | Apr 22-May 27 | $111R/$134N |